The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-11-23
THE WANDERERS RETURN.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

INV otOhls
Every Christmas, or New Years, or
Thanksgiving day, Mrs. Forrest placed
a chair at the table for their only son and
child, David, who had left his home tif-
teen years before, at the age of nineteen.
Since he left, no word from him had
reached them. The faithful heart of the
mother refused to think of the lad
as dead. and so she laid his plate at his
old place, and by it placed little bou-
quet of his favorite flowers.
"You see, he may come back at any
time, father, and then he'd understand
that we've been thinking of him all the
time"
The old man shook his head. "Boys
like David don't come back, Sarah.
Vice drove him away, and vice will
probably keep him away. II it's any
qualification for you to keep place at
the table for him, you know that don't
object; but ] wish you could made up
your mind that he will never come back.
These yearly reminders only bring the
old pain back, and if could, should
like to forget him altogether"
mo, you wouldn't James. He was
wild and disobedient, and brought
shame and sorrow over this threshold:
but for all that, he's our only child, and
I'm sure we can neither of us forget that"
1t was Just fifteen years since the
young man came home one night in q
beastly state of intoxicaton. 1t was not
the first time, but it was the first time
his father had seen him in that condition,
He was clerk in a dry good store, and
when he came home late at night, his
father supposed he had been detained by
his business, and went contentedly to
bed The poor wife, who sat up for the
wayward boy, knew better; but like
many gentle but unwise mother, she
concealed her sons vice from his father,
hoping he might reform. Her husband
was very stern man, and was unsparing
in his denunciations of the special vice
of intemperance. The truth is, she was
actually afraid to tell him.
The night have spoken of, Mr.. For
rest had letter to write, which kept
him in the sitting room long after his
usual bedtime. When the soldering,
idiotic young drunkard reeled into the
room, his father sprung from his chair as
if he had been shot. He looked at his
son, but did not say a word Then he
sat deliberately down in chair and
watched him, with such q look on his
white, set face that his terrified wife laid
her trembling hand on his arm He shook
il off. In a few moments he turned to
her, and said, in hard, mcrciless
voice:
How long has this been going on,
Sarahl"
"Oh, l don't know, James" she
sobbed. "1've seen him two or three
times under the influence of liquor, but
never so bad as this, James. didn't tell
you, because he promised to reform. oh,
don't be too hard on him, father Pray,
don't be too hard upon him'
"Too hard" :" he repeated, looking
with angry disgust at the young man,
who was huddled in heap in large
arm chair, trying vainly to sit erect, with
silly drunken grin on his face. "Too
hard! Why, if turned him out of the
house this very night, and disowned him
as my son, should be doing right And
you have kept this from met How could
you, how dare you, 40 it, and thus be.
come responsible for this. disgrace2
might have checked it. Now it's too
late. Look at that idiotic face; the
stamp of the drunkard who is past recov
cry is upon it. It's too later'
''0h, don't, don't, Jamesw his wife
cried, kneeling beside him. IL did il
for the best. Don't say it's too late 4
He's but little more than child yet and
bad company has led him astray.n
The drunken boy laughed idiOtically.
"Glong callin' me chile, ole CONAN !
Bes' poker player in town! Los ten
dollars. Ole Rapps money though
Took it out till. Gov'nor looks mad
Whatermatterl"
"Oh, hush! hush! hushr' the dis
tracted mother said, taking him by the
hand. Gone TO bed, David Oh, do
come" The drunken boy pushed heI
aside.
"Gov'nor mad '' he muttered won't
be suited Gimme satisfaction of gen.
tleman. Ten PAGES, pistols, and as he
table before hlm, and he slept heavily.
Don't try and get him away" Mr..
Forrest said sternly. "IIe shall stay
there all night, and I'll sit up with him.
You heard what he saidm with a bitter
laugh. ''Our son is not only drunk
ard, but thief Let him stay there;
want 10 get accustomed 10 the disgrace
which has come upon me, and a night
with that object before me will help me
to realize it. Doyou go to bed. | must
take his management out OF your weak
hands,
''You won't drive him away, Jamesl
You'll-give him chancel You ,SW give
him one opportunity TO try TO reforml
Don't dun him out into the wicked
world, to be lost forever" she pleaded,
with sobs. Her husband did not imme-
diately answer her, but at last he said /:
~ will not drive him away get. He
shall have one chance moTe-a single one.
iii make him understand that, when lie
can understand anything Now leave
me with him.
II mother crept weeping TO her
bed '"0r partly open be-